The Ultimate Peru Itinerary (15–18 Days) with Recommended Hotels & Tours

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Peru is a country full of incredible landscapes, ancient history, and vibrant culture, truly a destination that stays with you. But getting around isn’t always straightforward: not all cities and towns are connected by flights, and figuring out the best way to travel between them takes a lot of research and planning. To make this easier for you, we’ve designed this itinerary.

We visited in July, when Lima was sunny but the beaches were too cold to swim, we timed our trip to align with the best season to explore Machu Picchu.

This 15-18 day Peru itinerary takes you through some of the country’s most incredible destinations, including Lima, Huacachina, the mysterious Nazca Lines, historic Cusco, iconic Machu Picchu, the high-altitude waters of Lake Titicaca, and the wildlife-rich Amazon rainforest.

The itinerary includes two options: a shorter route that heads directly to Cusco and a longer route that also includes Arequipa, Colca Canyon, and Puno, giving you more opportunities to explore southern Peru, see Andean condors, and experience local culture along the way.

Peru Itinerary – 15 Days (Optional 18 Days)

• Day 1 – Arrive in Lima
  Arrive in Lima and settle into your hotel. Optional: explore Miraflores.
• Day 2 – Lima to Ica
  Bus from Miraflores to Ica, continue to Huacachina. Activities: Huacachina climb sand dunes, ride dune buggies.
• Day 3 – Ica & Huacachina
  Relax in Huacachina and Ica. Enjoy boat rides in the oasis and sunset views. Optional: combine Day 2 & Day 3 if short on time.
• Day 4 – Nazca Lines
  Bus from Ica to Nazca, scenic flight over Nazca Lines. Overnight in Nazca.
• Direct Route to Cusco
• Day 5 – Nazca to Lima
  Bus from Nazca to Lima (~7.5 hours).
• Day 6 – Fly to Cusco
  Fly to Cusco.
• Optional / Southern Peru Route
• Day 5 – Travel to Arequipa
  Bus to Arequipa, overnight rest.
• Day 6 – Colca Canyon
  Travel from Arequipa to Colca Canyon, stop for views of El Misti, evening visit to thermal baths.
• Day 7 – Cruz del Condor & Travel to Puno
  Early morning: see condors at Cruz del Cóndor, evening bus to Puno.
• Day 8 – Lake Titicaca
  Boat tour on Lake Titicaca, visit Uros Floating Islands and Taquile Island.
• Day 9 – Route of the Sun to Cusco
  Scenic bus from Puno to Cusco.
• Back to the Main Itinerary
• Day 7 / Optional Day 10 – Explore Cusco
  Explore historic Cusco.
• Day 8 / Optional Day 11 – Sacred Valley
  Tour Sacred Valley, end in Ollantaytambo.
• Day 9 / Optional Day 12 – Machu Picchu
  Train to Aguas Calientes from Ollantaytambo, short bus to Machu Picchu, explore.
• Day 10 / Optional Day 13 – Machu Picchu Sunrise
  Early visit for sunrise. Optional hikes: Huayna Picchu and Sun Gate. Afternoon train back to Cusco.
• Day 11 / Optional Day 14 – Fly to Puerto Maldonado (Amazon)
  Fly to Puerto Maldonado, boat ride on Tambopata River to lodge.
• Day 12 / Optional Day 15 – Amazon Jungle Activities
  Rainforest walks, canopy tower climb, night walk.
• Day 13 / Optional Day 16 – Amazon Lakes & Wildlife – Fly to Lima
  Morning Visit oxbow lake, clay lick, ethnobotanical tour. Late Afternoon fly back to Lima.
• Day 14 / Optional Day 17 – Lima City Tour
  Explore Larcomar, Plaza de Armas, Presidential Palace, Cathedral of Lima, San Isidro, Miraflores, Huaca Pucllana.
  Tip: We always explore the main city where we land at the end of our trip. That way, even if something gets delayed along the way, we still have plenty of time before our international flight.
• Day 15 / Optional Day 18 – Departure
  Fly home from Lima.

Where to Stay

• Lima: Hotel Jose Antonio 
  The hotel is just close to the coast and in a very safe and walkable. It is close to several points of interest and is very clean.
• View other hotels in Lima
• Nazca: Hacienda Majoro Boutique & Resort (Where we stayed) A perfect place to visit Nazca and relax in the evening, with beautiful grounds and a pool. The property is full of history and style, decorated with a blend of Inca heritage and colonial European influences. The hotel sits on expansive grounds with orange trees heavy with fruit, and llamas and peacocks roam freely. A small hill near the dining area features waterfalls flowing gently, adding to the charm. The hacienda is a 5-minute drive from the airport and has been beautifully converted into a hotel, combining old-world charm with modern comforts.
• Don Agucho Hotel A new hotel that is very clean and conveniently located close to the Nazca Lines.
• Cusco: Antigua Casona San Blas is about 8 minute walk to the Main square – Playa De Armas. It was cozy and beautifully decorated. The rooms were big and staff were friendly.
• Ollantaytambo: El Albergue Ollantaytambo hotel was just inside the Ollantaytambo train station complex. The train stopped right in front of the hotel. The hotel had its own organic farm. At night, one of the office rooms in the station was converted into a dining area and dinner was served along with vegetables from the farm. Candles and music created a magical atmosphere.
• Aguas Calientes: Hotel Wiracocha Machupicchu was a minute walk to the bus ticket office. And all the buses to ascend to Machu Picchu start from the street in front of this hotel.
• It was cozy and perfectly located. The windows in our room had beautiful views of the Urubamba River, which we could hear all night, giving us a feeling of camping outdoors. Breakfast started at 5:30 AM, which was perfect for early morning Machu Picchu visits.
• Amazon Forest: Posada Amazonas Lodge
  This lodge is located right in the rainforest and is only accesible by river. The lodge provides a free boat ride on the Tambopata River to reach the lodge. The rooms are mostly open to the forest, with no windows, providing a complete immersion in nature. The beds had well-maintained nets around them. It was a great experience listening to all creatures in the forest especially in the night. We enjoyed our stay here.

Tours we Recommend

• Lima: Lima Half a Day City Tour 
  This was a walking tour, it covered most of Lima’s historical landmarks and regal monuments with this comprehensive half-day tour.
• View other city tours in Lima
• Ica: Paracas and Huacachina from Lima
• This tour takes you to Ballestas Islands, and you will visit a local winery to taste the national drink, pisco. Then you will be sandboarding on the dunes of Huacachina. (Ballestas Islands tour was cancelled when we went there due to rough seas, since we visited in July – great for Machu picchu but winter in Lima). This gave us extra time in Huacachina, which we really enjoyed.
• Nazca Lines: There are many tours that combine Huacachina and Nazca in a single itinerary. However, both are desert regions, and it’s easy to get tired and worn out. Each place also offers a lot to do, so trying to cover both in one day can feel rushed.
• Our recommendation, especially for travellers with kids, is to explore Huacachina and Nazca on separate days, and plan your transfer back to Lima on the third day.
• Here are a few tours we suggest:
• Nazca Lines Overflight from Nazca
• Nazca Lines Tour from Ica
• If flying isn’t for you (especially with all the twists and turns of the aerial tour), you can still explore the Nazca Lines by land with a guide.
• If you are planning to stay in Nazca and enjoy a relaxed vacation, you can book this shuttle transfer from Ica to Nazca
• Machu Picchu: Tickets to Machu Picchu can be bought here if you want to explore on your own.
• If you prefer to have a guide we recommend this tour that includes Machu Picchu guided tour with tickets and bus from Aquas Calientes.
• Sacred Valley Tour: This Getyourguide tour takes you to Sacred Valley tour from Cusco and drops you off at Ollantaytambo as optional dropoff. This is excellent as you get to tour the Sacred Valley which is one of the main attractions in Cusco and also get the free ride to Ollantaytambo.
• Or you may book this transfer directly from Cusco to Ollantaytambo
• The trip from Cusco to Ollantaytambo is approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes, everything will depend on the traffic of the city.